With about three months remaining in the White House, President Barack Obama’s job performance is now viewed more favorably by Granite Staters than at any time since mid-2009.

The latest WMUR Granite State Poll shows a sharp uptick in New Hampshire residents’ view of both how the president is handling his job and how they view him personally since they were last polled on the questions in July.

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Granite Staters have a favorable view of Obama’s handling of the economy but are split on his handling of foreign affairs, the poll shows.

At the same time, they continue to have a pessimistic view of the general direction of the nation, although the poll shows a slight improvement since the previous poll in July.

The new poll by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center was conducted Oct. 11-17 among 907 randomly selected adults, including 770 likely voters. The margin of error among the larger sample of adults is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.

According to the survey center, the sample was 48 percent self-described Democrats, 38 percent self-described Republicans and 15 percent self-described independents. Divided according to party registration, the survey center said 48 percent were undeclared or not registered, 27 percent were registered Democrats and 25 percent were registered Republicans.

The poll found that 57 percent of New Hampshire adults approve of the way Obama is handling his job as president, while 39 percent disapprove and 4 percent are neutral. That’s a sharp improvement since July, when he was viewed favorably 49 percent and unfavorably by 44 percent.

His job performance rating has not been at this level in a WMUR Granite State Poll since the summer of 2009, when 61 percent approved and 33 percent disapproved.

In the new poll, opinions of Obama’s job performance were split along party lines, with 93 percent of Democrats approving and 81 percent of Republicans disapproving, while independents approved by a margin of 51 percent to 36 percent.

Obama’s personal favorability rating has also improved since July. He is currently viewed favorably by 55 percent and unfavorably by 39 percent, while 7 percent are neutral or do not know enough about him to say. In July, he was viewed favorably by 49 percent and unfavorably by 46 percent.

Obama reached this level of favorability in October 2012, when 56 percent viewed him favorably.

But the poll found continued pessimism, although with some improvement, in how Granite Staters view the direction of the nation, with 40 percent saying it is moving in the right direction and 55 percent saying it is on the wrong track. In July, only 30 percent said the nation was headed in the right direction, while 65 percent said it was on the wrong track.

Among Democrats, 72 percent said the country is headed in the right direction, while 23 percent said it is on the wrong track. Republicans had a much different view, with 88 percent saying the country is on the wrong track and 10 percent saying it is headed in the right direction. Independents, by a margin of 65 percent to 27 percent, said the nation is moving in the right direction.

Granite Staters’ view of how Obama is handling the economy continues to improve, with 55 percent now approving and 40 percent disapproving. In July 52 percent, approved and 43 percent disapproved.

Democrats approved of the president’s handling of the economy by a margin of 90 percent to 7 percent, while 79 percent of Republicans disapproved and 17 percent approved. Independents were split, with 45 percent approving and 43 percent disapproving.

The poll found a split in Obama’s handling of foreign affairs, with 49 percent approving and 45 percent disapproving. In July, 46 percent approved and 48 percent disapproved.

Democrats currently approve of his handling of foreign affairs by a margin of 84 percent to 12 percent, while among Republicans, 87 percent disapprove and 10 percent approve. Independents are split, with 44 percent disapproving and 39 percent approving.